Melinda Joe

To celebrate the year of the dragon, I had the honor of attending a stupendous feast, hosted by Dining Out and @halekulani_okinawa, and featuring Tomoya Kawada of ⭐️⭐️⭐️ @sazenka, who prepared an elaborate full-course dinner under the stars amid the remains of Shuri Castle.

The palace of the Rykyu Kingdom between 1429 and 1879, Shurijo was the main site of the kingdom’s legendary gastrodiplomacy, where the Rykyu royals entertained envoys from Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. Smooth relations bolstered the kingdom’s position as a vital trading hub and cultural crossroads.

Sadly, the castle was razed during WWII, and a long-term reconstruction project was thwarted when a fire destroyed the nearly completed main building in 2019. A second reconstruction is now underway.

The history-steeped stone remains served as a dramatic backdrop to Chef Kawada’s stunning cuisine, which incorporated Okinawan ingredients. A truly marvelous event!

Dining Out Rykyu Shuri Part 1

Somen in tea flavored with getto herb

Yako-gai marinade

Golden crab spring roll

Yun Bai Rou Sazenka style

Jellyfish with choumeisou

Yako-gai and soft shell turtle soup

Sichuan deep-fried harisenbon

To be continued… Less

2024 is shaping up to be a big year for @hotel_the_mitsui_kyoto’s restaurant @_toki_kyoto_. Helmed by Tetsuya Asano, the modern French restaurant expresses the culture of Kyoto in dishes based on the theme of the region’s famously pristine, soft water. Toki was included in this year’s Michelin Kyoto guide, and last month Chef Asano was selected to represent Japan in the prestigious @bocusedor competition. A tremendous achievement!

To celebrate, Toki hosted a special dinner showcasing Asano’s award-winning menu. From the opening bites of radis au beurre and a crispy cylinder filled with the most delicious broccoli puree, to the fillet of wagyu beef from Tottori, served with a sauce of port wine and foie gras, the meal reflected significant moments in Chef Asano’s career in France, as well as the evolution of the cuisine at Toki.

One of the most unforgettable dishes this time was the galantine of halibut and red snow crab with buerre blanc sauce, accompanied by a salad of minced ceps capped with gelee of pickle brine and micro herbs. So elegant and perfectly executed.

Congratulations to all at restaurant Toki! Less

What is the future of Chinese food? @andrechiang_sg explores this question in a new series with @wynn.palace. For each event, Andre will collaborate with a different chef in Asia that shares the same desire to push the boundaries of this time-honored cuisine.

The series (and the new year) kicked off with a spectacular feast at @sazenka, a restaurant that thoroughly, effortlessly, and ineffably inhabits the intersection between Chinese and Japanese sensibilities. It’s a restaurant truly deserving of its three Michelin stars.

I loved how the distinctive styles of these two master chefs complemented each other. It was such a memorable and thought-provoking meal. Can’t wait to see what Andre does at the upcoming events (for now, still stop secret).

More to come shortly about this epic four-hands dinner! Less

Unbelievably, we’re already in the second week of January! The first week of the new year provided a tiny bit of breathing space and time for reflection. I am grateful for all of the terrific experiences in 2023 and was lucky enough to catch up with old friends over fantastic food at the end of last year.

My final restaurant experience of 2023 was a real banger: a one-night-only collaboration between two of the greats! @albertolandgraf popped over to Japan to cook a very special dinner with @hiroyasu_kawate at the recently relocated 🌟🌟 @restaurant_florilege in Azabudai Hills. Such a lovely night, made even more special by so much good Brazilian energy.

The menu reflected synchronicity between the two chefs. Loved Alberto’s Brazil nut ice cream with caviar, alongside Kawate’s fukinoto waffle sprinkled with ikura. A strikingly minimalist turnip tarte provided refreshing acidity before a dish of deep-fried pastry filled with dashi-simmered daikon. Delicious. Sweet snow crab in a rich and velvety sauce was complemented by a surprising accompaniment of crab roe in kombu oil and pickled sansho flowers, before the main dish of succulent roast lamb accented with nut cream sauces.

@mihohorio also showed off her kakigori skills with a seasonally inspired sweet potato shaved ice dessert. Less

2023 has been undoubtedly a good year. I finally made it to 🌟🌟🌟 Le Calandre in Padua, a restaurant I’d wanted to visit for years. What makes this place special is not only the precisely executed creativity that characterizes every dish but also the wonderfully serene atmosphere and the warmth of the @alajmo family. Sophistication without the stuffiness, showmanship that never feels over the top.

Signatures did not disappoint: the sunny saffron risotto with a gentle and earthy note of licorice, the psychedelic Murrina cappuccino inspired by Murano glass that delivers the comforting creaminess of potato puree on the palate along with the umami depth of cuttlefish and uni. I also loved the vegetarian “forest tripe” stew of mushrooms, the perfect bite of tartare with truffles and, being from Louisiana, I had to order the deep fried soft-shell crab sandwich that arrived like an elevated Italian poboy. Delicious. Less

“It’s all about love,” says Prin Polusk.

When you see this irrepressibly happy guy behind the counter at @samrubsamrubthai, you know it’s true.

Tb to my autumn visit. Belated congratulations to @prinpolsuk and @goodmorningmint on the Michelin 🌟 accolade! Samrub offers a fresh take on Thai ingredients and flavors, presented with cheekiness in spades. No rules, no restrictions. It’s so much fun being here, in the couple’s family home, where they can do exactly what they want. The only difficulty is trying to stop Prin from refilling your glass. Less

Congratulations to @sergioherman on the opening of his first venture in Asia, @le_pristine_tokyo! The restaurant occupies a street-level space with double-height ceilings and a cool, chic interior enlivened with art by Dutch designers. Love the music and the vibe.

The food focuses on Japanese ingredients - with an emphasis on fresh seafood - infused with Herman’s modern European sensibilities. Highlights include the richly concentrated fish soup with saffron and rice, served with fennel mayo-dotted rusks; the juniper robata-smoked venison with quince and pureed Jerusalem artichoke; and the decadent and delectable tiramisu, which collapses gently like a sigh at the table. So good! (And you know I’m not a sweets person.)

Chef Herman was here for the opening but will leave the kitchen in the capable hands of @denniskuipers_chef. Congrats again! Less

A gorgeous day for a gorgeous lunch at the newly 🌟 @bulgarinikoromitotokyo. Huge congratulations!

The winter menu exudes understated elegance. Truffles abound, but the dishes are structured to let the flavors of the natural ingredients shine. White truffle is the star of a simple but elegant dish of Kuro Fuji poached egg and potato cream. At the start of black truffle season, @mauro_aloisio presents them atop fettuccelle with Aomori duck sauce - a fabulous match for Ridolfi Brunello.

So happy to catch @nikoromito here in Tokyo. And like Santa himself, he granted my Christmas wish by bringing one of his panettones! Less